


Severed

by Undetermined



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Gen, Universe Alteration
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-25
Updated: 2014-11-23
Packaged: 2018-02-18 16:55:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2355695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Undetermined/pseuds/Undetermined
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Dipper momentarily regained possession of his body?  What if he ran out into the woods to try and stop Bill from getting the journal?  What if he got lost?  And what if he had to make another deal?<br/>Story idea I posted on Tumblr and then people said they would like to read.  So cross posting to here, too.<br/>(The writing gets better by the second chapter, I promise.)</p><p> </p><p>"I can help ya, kid. You just need to hear out my demands!" This was bad.<br/>"What crazy thing do you want, anyway?" Very bad.<br/>"So what puppet are you gonna pick, anyway?" This was worse.<br/>“Hmm, let's see. Eeny, meeny, miney... YOU"<br/>"What?!" And now it was 'could not get any worse' bad.<br/>(ABANDONED)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 completely rewritten!

"I can help ya, kid. You just need to hear out my demands!" This was bad.

"What crazy thing do you want, anyway?" Very bad.

"So what puppet are you gonna pick, anyway?" This was worse.

“Hmm, let's see. Eeny, meeny, miney... YOU"

"What?!" And now it was 'could not get any worse' bad.

The moment they shook hands Dipper had felt a pull. Painful but not; a sort of gut wrenching feeling that couldn't be attributed to anything physical. It wasn't till he saw his own body that he realized why. A half second pause between "What?!" and "This can't be happening!" was all he needed for it to click.

"Sorry kid but you're my puppet now!" Giving a laugh Bill grabbed the laptop and threw it to the ground. The screen cracked and a few keys flew off before his foot fell on the laptop. Sparks crackled out of the broken casing as it crumpled, crushing the laptop and leaving it permanently damaged beyond repair.

Dipper felt something inside of him sink. The past week he'd stayed up late, barely getting any sleep at all. All the cans of Pitt Cola he’d consumed, all the hours he’d spent on the roof. Pacing in circles, reading all manner of books at all hours of the day, writing new passwords to try and all of that while helping Mabel with her puppet show, he hadn’t let himself sleep. They hadn’t even figured out the pyrotechnics.

"Oh my gosh, this can't be happening. _This can't be happening!_ " Maybe if he repeated it more he'd wake up.

Nightmare.

This was a nightmare.

Had to be a nightmare.

This wasn't _real_. This _can’t_ be real.

Dipper’s breathing started to speed up, short breaths escaping him as his new form mimicked panic.

Bill blinked his new eyes one at a time before he stumbled over to the mirror, "Man, it has been so long since I've inhabited a body!" Bill gave his new body a few slaps on the face, leaving red marks on both sides. “Woo! Woo! Pain is hilarious!”

"I don't understand! Why are you doing this?!" Dipper floated closer to Bill, wobbly and uncoordinated in his new form. Bill turned around to stare at Dipper. "I thought we had a dea-"

"Hey-Dipper-I-borrowed-your-journal-to-use-as-a-prop-in-the-show," Oh no. Mabel had cut him off, calling to him up the stairs.

"I-hope-you-don't-mind" Mabel! No!

"I'm-gonna-go-before-you-process-this-sentence-okay-bye,” her voice getting higher pitched as she ran out of air. Footsteps sounded as she ran off to the car, not waiting for what she thought would be a protest coming from her brother.

Bill grinned and started to call back. "Sure!" Nonono.

"Sounds great, sister!" NO! Mabel. If he hurt Mabel-

Dipper bolted towards Bill. If Bill got to her- If he hurt her… if he hurt her in _his body…_

Dipper started to float through what was supposed to be his body. Instead of his arms phasing through Bill he stopped. His form contorted. He started to stretch and squeeze into what was his body. His limbs matched up with Bill’s; their fingers and arms moving in the same patterns, trying to come together.

Bill froze.

Dipper froze.

They were both there. Same body. Two different entities occupying the same fleshy prison. They could both hear the heartbeat. Both feel the blood going through their veins. Both feel the air escaping their lungs. It lasted for a moment before Dipper was forced out and to the opposite end of the room. Head over heels he tumbled through the air, nearly hitting the opposite wall before managing to stop himself.

Bill hunched over panting. He clutched at his sides, nails digging into his ribs. The skin broke underneath the shirt and small dark spots started to form on the shirt. A small chuckle escaped him between breaths as he grinned and composed himself.

"Wow! Good try, kid.” Bill straitened with too much force, having to take a step back to keep himself from falling.

“That was close! How about a prize?" He snapped his fingers.

Bill started to rise.

So did the room.

Dipper looked below him. The room wasn’t rising. He was sinking. Lower and lower, his body got closer to the ground. "No!" He couldn’t stop. His feet touched the floor and a light shock hit him. As they started to phase through the floor the feeling of electricity traveled up his body. He started to flail his arms, tried to claw his way back up through the air as the floor reached his ankles.

"What are you doing? Stop!" Dipper yelled out as his movements started to become more desperate. His legs were already halfway through the floor. He ignored the jolt that hit his knees. Bill walked in front of him and watched as Dipper's gestures became more erratic. The grin was still stretched across his face.

"You're a lot stronger than you look." Bill leaned over, resting his hand on Dipper’s head and forcing his sinking to speed up. The shock became more powerful now, painful as it traveled up his body. How was Bill even making contact? Why wasn't the arm going through Dipper like everything else? How was any of this possible?

"Which isn't saying much. Have you seen these arms?" Dipper pushed Bill's hand away and looked around for something to grab on to. Something. Anything to help him up and stop him from sinking.

Sinking.

Still sinking.

Still falling.

Why couldn't he get up? What had Bill done? Why couldn't he float? How far would he sink? This can’t be happening. _This can’t be happening!_

"I'll admit, Pinetree. That shouldn't have happened. You’re too smart for your own good, you know. Good thing I got here when I did!" One eye blinked before the other followed suit and Bill leaned in closer.

"Good thing..." Putting his weight on his hand Bill shoved the rest of Dipper's head through the floor. The last image he saw was his own face between his own fingers.

Dark. It was dark. All he could see was dark. Not black, not gray. Everything was a blank, dark nothing. Dipper froze, his limbs going stiff. Dipper could hear his ragged breath, mind still going through the motions like he still had a body. Like he was still alive.

He couldn’t tell if he was moving. Had he stopped? Was he still sinking? Light slowly filled his vision as he finished phasing through the floor. Finally he stopped sinking; floating a few feet above what he assumed was a floor.

He was disoriented, the light burn of electricity still going through him as it faded. Dipper gave a hurried glance to his surroundings as his eyes adjusted to the light.

Bill called after him "I've got big plans, Pinetree..."

Dipper looked around. An old, musky arm chair surrounded by wax drippings, a yellowed fake dinosaur skull coffee table, and an empty aquarium surrounded him. He was in the living room. Rushing through the walls he made it into the kitchen where the voice came from. Nobody was there.

"And I don't need you getting in my way."

Dipper took stock of the kitchen. An empty can of Pitt Cola on the floor in a puddle of spilled soda. Nearby, some silverware lay underneath an open drawer. Was that... blood? His blood?! His eyes widened.

What was-can't think about that. Not now. Have to find Bill. He had to save Mabel. He rushed to the hallway near the bathroom. Bill was humming, practically skipping while his arm dripped with blood, drops lightly splattering the walls as he swung his arms. He didn't notice the boy approaching him from behind. He was too busy approaching somebody else.

"Hey, Red!"

Dipper spotted her the moment Bill spoke. “Wendy, that’s not me!” He started to wave his arms, trying to get her attention. He had to tell her. Wendy would know what to do. She could help.

Wendy looked up from the props she was carrying. “Oh, hey Dipper!”

“Wendy! You have to listen-“

“What you do you have there, toots?” Oh no.

“Just some props.”

Dipper stopped behind Bill and tried to think through the panic. How had he stopped Bill before? It felt like he had taken control of his body. He needed to remember! How did it happen? What did he specifically do? Think! Think, Dipper, think!

"Whoa, is that blood?" Wendy asked and started to approach Bill. He had to think! She bent down to set the props aside and Bill continued to skip towards her, eyes starting to glow. How couldn’t she see that?!

Dipper focused on Bill, tried to replicate everything from before. Placing his arms in front of him Dipper dived towards Bill. He entered his body just as Wendy looked back up from setting down the props.

There was static. Loud, painful white static. It filled his ears, filled his vision. His arms and limbs writhing, everything hurt. That gut wrenching feeling was back but this time it was physical. So was the feeling of claws on his mind and a tugging at his chest.

"Whoa, whoa! WHOA, HEY KID!" Bill went flying from the body, head over heels. Forced from his host Bill flipped himself around. A red glow started from his center and spread through his body while his eye narrowed. "Not cool, Pinetree..."

Dipper lurched forward, taking a sudden deep breath. He glanced to his hands, clenching and unclenching them. “It worked! I did-“He jumped, turning himself around. The smile that had grown on his face earlier disappeared as he looked between Wendy and Bill.

"Not."

No. Nonono. He had to get away. Bill won’t hurt them. He wouldn’t let Bill hurt them.

"I'm sorry, Wendy! Tell Mabel that-" Dipper started running out the door.

"Dipper, wait!" Wendy reached out for him before flinching away. A bright light started to envelop the area. Shadows started shrinking before disappearing completely. Wendy could make out Dipper’s form before it was lost in the red glow that swallowed everything. In the back of her mind she felt something. Like a pinprick.

“COOL!"

"Tell her I'm sorry!" Dipper called back and made for the woods as everything went white.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, did this get longer. It's about twice as long as it originally was. Hopefully it's better. I think it is. Chapter 3 will be up soon!


	2. Transition

Dipper had entered the woods before his vision returned. There was yelling behind him, trailing alongside his labored breathing. If he strained his ears he could make out the voices. Pausing along the edge of the forest and hiding behind a tree he tried to catch his breath, his thoughts going along with his breathing.

_I’m sorry._ Inhale.

“Yo dudes, what happened to the lights?” That would be Soos. _Exhale._

_I’m so sorry._ Inhale.

“Hey, where’s Dipper?” Wendy. _Exhale._

_It’s my fault._ Inhale.

“My puppets are okay!” Mabel. _Exhale._

_And I’m so sorry._ Inhale.

“No, guys! Have you seen Dipper?” _Exhale._

“If anything’s broken you’re paying for it!” Grunkle Stan. _Inhale._   And he started running again.

“Dipper?! GUYS! Where is Dipper?!” Wendy yelled trying to get her voice over the others. Everybody stopped and looked at her. Their eyes had adjusted and they had already taken stock, reassuring that none of them were hurt. Except for Wendy, already looking for the one person everybody else seemed to skip over. She gave a worried glance around her, checking for some sign of him.

“What do you mean, ‘where’s Dipper?” Grunkle Stan walked out of the show room brushing some dust off his shoulders. “He was upstairs. And why is there a mess in the kitchen?”

Wendy started walking in the direction of the door. “He was here! And then he just went, I don’t know… blank. Like a zombie.” Stan and Mabel looked at each other before looking back to Wendy.

“He just ran off, man! But before that he said…” Wendy glanced at Mabel who tilted her head and flashed a weak smile. This had to be some awesome idea for her play, right? He must have figured out that problem with the pyrotechnics! He had to have- “He apologized.” Wait, what?

Stan shrugged. “Kid’s a little weird. He’ll show up eventually,” he gave a wave of his hand and started to walk away.

Wendy bent down and looked at the blood soaking into the wood floor. “Yeah but… he was bleeding.” Stan stopped with his back to the rest. “Nothing major but look!” Wendy pointed to the floor before getting up and walking out the door. “And his eyes were… weird.”

“Were they yellow?” Stan’s oddly tense voice carried over his shoulder. He didn’t turn his head, didn’t move an inch. His body was relaxed. Nothing about his pose gave anything away. Except for his shoulders. They were pulled back slightly, stiff. He turned around, his eyes slightly wider. “Were the pupils different?”

“Wha…” Wendy looked back at him, confused.

Mabel looked back and forth between Wendy and Stan. Something was happening. Something was wrong and she felt sick. Her stomach was doing flips and sinking all at once. She remembered Dipper telling her that he had a dream about Bill. But he promised not to do anything. He promised and Dipper was too smart for that. He wouldn’t. He promised.

“The little black things in his eyes! WERE THEY DIFFERENT?!”

“I know what they are!” Stan never yelled. Not at her. Not like this. Wendy’s eyes widened as she turned to face him and then narrowed slightly. “I didn’t notice… What’s going on, Stan?”

Stan hesitated, all eyes on him, before he forcibly relaxed. Shoulders slumped, fists he hadn’t noticed unraveled and a small breath escaped him. “Nothing. Nothing’s wrong. Why would anything be wrong?” He couldn’t have possibly-no. Kid was too smart for that. He wouldn’t. How would he even…

“I didn’t ask what’s wrong, _Mr. Pines_.” She knew it. He knew something and he wasn’t helping. Dipper was in trouble and Stan wasn’t helping him. Wendy raised her voice, worry and anger coming through “I asked-"

He barreled past her, shoving her out of the way to grab the props. “Nothing is going on, Wendy. Now help me pack these into the car. Mabel grab that-"

“No.” Mabel dropped her sock puppets. She had spent hours on them, losing sleep and gaining burns from her hot glue gun. Glitter had gotten into her eyes more than once and she still had a googly eye stuck on the back of her hand. But Dipper would drop everything for her, just like he had in the past. Now she was going to do the same, just like she had done in the past.

She didn't bother to step over the puppets, a slight crinkle coming from below her as she stepped on a paper bag Stan. “We’ve got to help Dipper.”

Stan was reaching for the props when he stopped. He sighed and turned around to walk towards her. Bending down on one kneed he put his hand on her shoulder. “Look, we-“  
Mabel looked him in the eye. “No.”

“Swe-"

“No!”

Stan picked up one of her sock puppets and looked down at it. The stitching was a little lopsided, a googley eye threatened to fall off but she had worked so hard on it. “Mabel. I’m not sure what this all is…” Lies. He always lied to her. “He’s a tough kid.” Truth. Not as rare as he wished, but not as common as it should be. And Dipper _was_ a tough kid. Tougher than Stan had been when he was the same age. He may never fully admit it to the goober but Stan was proud. Damn proud.

“He’ll be fine.” Lying again. Stan always felt guilty lying to them. He’d done it for so long and for so many years he had forgotten how terrible the gut wrenching feeling could be.  
“But Grunkle Stan! He’s out there!”

“Look, kid. He’ll be fine. If…” Stan hesitated here and frowned. “If he’s not here when we get back then we’ll go look for him.” The kid couldn’t have gotten this deep. Stan would know. All the cameras, the monitoring. He would know. Would have _seen._ Noticed something, right? But if it was what he thought… if what he was worried would happen was happening she would need this. But that wouldn’t happen. Stan would have seen something.

Wendy stayed silent. She watched all of this and wanted to yell at Stan. Dipper was out there, bleeding and… not right. And Stan knew what was wrong and he was just going to let it happen? This wasn’t her family but it might as well be. Dipper was out there and hurt. He-

“Promise me we’ll go looking.” Wendy was snapped out of her thoughts by Mabel’s voice.

“Don’t worry! He’ll be here, being all sweaty and awkward. Just you wait!” Stan started laughing before he was cut off.

“Promise! Promise he’ll be okay.”

“…I promise.” Stan meant it. Something was happening but neither fully knew what. Mabel needed this. She might need this happy moment. They both silently picked up the puppets and Stan gathered them all into the car. Nobody spoke a word on their way to the play.

Things were changing. She deserved one more ‘normal’ night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha, sorry it took so long! Still working on this! Turns out I may have lied about the 'good stuff' coming this chapter. Maybe next chapter? No promises?  
> Anyway, as always any critique is welcome!


	3. Chapter 3

He was so lost.

Dipper didn’t know if he had made a wrong turn at the last tree or maybe the first one but he was lost. He’d been running for so long and where was he? The sun had already set. He couldn’t use that to figure out his position like Wendy had taught him. Wouldn’t have been able to see through the leaves, anyway. Surrounded by shadows that resembled trees, wind howling and branches creaking; Dipper was lost.

Dipper slowed down to a light jog and then a plodding walk as he made his way through knee high weeds that scratched at his legs. There was a sharp pain in his left arm that raced up his nerves every time he hit it against a branch or rock. The feeling of bone grinding on bone sent a shiver up his spine every time, even as he tried to ignore it. The bleeding from his arm had stopped by now with the blood dried and crusted only to be replaced by blood beading at the scratches and scrapes on his legs.

He kept walking, bending a branch out of his way before letting it go. It snapped back and hit him with a crack, flinging him forward. The force pushing him over a ledge, his shoulder bounced off a tree. He instinctively reached out with his arms, landing with his weight on his left.

“AH! Owowowow!” Dipper yelled out and cradled his arm. It was bent at an odd angle now, swollen and tinged blue with bruises forming all around it. Tears started to well in his eyes, the pain hitting him all at once.

He really hadn’t thought this through. What was he supposed to do now? He was lost. He didn’t have any food. He hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours and he was tired. So tired.

Lifting his right arm he grabbed a branch and pulled himself up. His left arm hung limply at his side, brushing his clothes with every movement, a jolt of sharp pain with every movement. Without giving it a thought he started walking again.

He had to keep moving, had to keep putting distance between him and everybody else. He knew it. Didn’t have to think about it. He weaved his way between the trees trying to avoid the brambles and thorns that twisted on the ground. He tried but they continued to tug and pull at his skin.

Wendy, Mabel, Stan, Soos. Did they even know he was gone? Wendy had seen him but she probably thought he was just playing a _kid’s game_. Dipper winced at the thought.

Mabel would be too busy with her play. She would notice but get distracted with something else. And Stan? Dipper sighed. Stan probably wouldn’t even notice. Or if he did he wouldn’t do anything. Maybe he cared but he had a funny way of showing it.

Dipper was on his own.

Looking around him, he came to a stop. A dead tree was nearby. Lots of broken sticks that probably resembled his arm lay on the ground. He remembered something from a movie Grunkle Stan had forced them to sit through. Dipper started searching and found two sticks a little bit longer than his forearm. Carefully removing his vest he kneeled down next to a rock with a flat top. Clenching the fabric between his teeth Dipper tore the vest in half.

This was going to hurt.

He put his arm on the vest he had laid on the rock and set the sticks next to him. Staring at them, he hesitated. He was twelve and a half years old. The tears came back to his eyes and he sniffled. He shouldn’t have to do this. This was stupid. This was so stupid. How many twelve year olds had to deal with this?

Straightening his arm Dipper put his right hand on his left and pushed down to hold it in place. His hand was a little cool to the touch and oh man, this was really going to hurt. Tears started falling down his cheeks and his eyes were stinging. This was so stupid and it was all his fault.

He started pulling his shoulder back to stretch out his arm, careful not to bend his arm to either side. Breathing heavily, he could see the bones moving underneath his skin. He could feel the broken bones grinding against each other. He was pretty sure he could hear it, a sound like sandpaper on stone. Like gravel.

“NnnnGAH!” The arm was set, about as straight as he could get it. The swelling started to lessen and feeling started to return to his fingers. Working quickly, he reached over for the sticks put them on the vest, one on each side. But not before he dropped one on his arm; it landed right where he thought the break was. “Gah!” Dipper winced and had to stop himself from pulling away from the rock.

_All his fault._

He wrapped half the vest around the sticks and used the stuffing from the other half to soften the rubbing on his joints. Using his good hand and his teeth, he tied the vest around his neck and formed a sling. Dipper gently put his arm into it and looked at his handiwork through the tears and gave a small smile. Stan would be proud. More tears started falling.

He bent down and curled around his broken arm, resting his head on the rock. This was so stupid. He was alone. Not even Mabel was here to make him laugh or tell jokes. And it was all his fault. Nobody else had caused this, just him. At least nobody else had to suffer. Just him.

Using the rock as a support Dipper stood up. A shiver ran through his body as goose bumps started to form on his skin. Was it because he was cold? Or was it something else?

Dipper stopped, not moving and listened.

An owl sounded in the distance and some cicadas screeched.

He had to keep moving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAaaaand we're back with Dipper! Awesome! Story's kinda moving along. Bill should be making a return next chapter, so things will really start to get exciting then? Hopefully?  
> Anyway, as always, critique/feedback is ALWAYS welcome! I love it!  
> Hope you enjoy and see you next chapter!


End file.
